Cigarette-Making Machines and Methods of Using the Same

Abstract

Cigarette-making machines that provide improved safety and improved user ergonomics are disclosed. A disclosed example cigarette-making machine of the tobacco-injecting type includes a faceted handgrip that projects upward from a top surface of the machine and partially encloses a pivot axis of an actuator. The faceted handgrip being configured to enable a user to apply a counter-rotational force to the machine to prevent the machine from sliding on a surface as the actuator is operated. In a disclosed embodiment, the faceted handgrip includes a knob having a plurality of facets and a semi-circular riser integrally formed between the knob and the top surface, an axis of the knob substantially coinciding with the pivot axis of the actuator. The semi-circular riser may circularly extend around or partially enclose an end of a shaft and a nut that couples an end of the actuator to the shaft.

1 . A cigarette-making machine comprising:
 a housing including a top surface having an aperture;   an actuator to rotate about a pivot axis above the top surface;   a compacting chamber within the housing, the compacting chamber in communication with the aperture;   a compacting member disposed in the compacting chamber and coupled with the actuator, the compacting member to translate according to movement of the actuator;   a hollow nipple configured on the housing proximate the aperture, the hollow nipple in communication with the compacting chamber; and   a faceted handgrip projecting upward from the top surface and partially enclosing the pivot axis.   
     
     
         2 . A cigarette-making machine as defined in  claim 1 , wherein the faceted handgrip comprises:
 a knob having a plurality of facets defined thereon, an axis of the knob substantially coinciding with the pivot axis; and   a semi-circular riser integrally formed between the knob and the top surface.   
     
     
         3 . A cigarette-making machine as defined in  claim 2 , wherein:
 the pivot axis comprises a shaft having an end extending through the top surface;   the cigarette-making machine further comprises a nut and a bushing to couple an end of the actuator to the end of the shaft;   the semi-circular riser is configured to circularly extend around and partially enclose the nut, the bushing, the end of the shaft and the end of the actuator; and   the semi-circular riser includes an opening through which the actuator protrudes and can rotate about the pivot axis.   
     
     
         4 . A cigarette-making machine as defined in  claim 1 , wherein the faceted handgrip comprises:
 a knob having a plurality of facets defined thereon, an axis of the knob substantially coinciding with the pivot axis; and   a semi-circular riser integrally formed with the knob and having a flange, the flange having a slot defined therein to couple the faceted handgrip to the top surface via a shaft extending from the top surface, the shaft having a head at one end, the slot having a first end dimensioned to substantially correspond the head and a second end dimensioned to substantially correspond to the shaft.   
     
     
         5 . A cigarette-making machine as defined in  claim 4 , wherein the first and second ends of the slot are oriented so that a counter-rotational force applied to the faceted handgrip during a cigarette making operation is in a same direction as a rotation of the faceted handgrip to couple the faceted handgrip to the top surface. 
     
     
         6 . A cigarette-making machine as defined in  claim 1 , wherein the faceted handgrip includes an opening through which the actuator protrudes and can rotate about the pivot axis. 
     
     
         7 . A cigarette-making machine as defined in  claim 1 , wherein an axis of the faceted handgrip substantially coincides with the pivot axis. 
     
     
         8 . A cigarette-making machine as defined in  claim 1 , wherein the faceted handgrip is generally circular and comprises a plurality of tangential facets. 
     
     
         9 . A cigarette-making machine as defined in  claim 1 , wherein the faceted handgrip comprises a knob having a plurality of facets. 
     
     
         10 . A cigarette-making machine as defined in  claim 1 , wherein the faceted handgrip is configured on a left, rear portion of the top surface. 
     
     
         11 . A cigarette-making machine comprising:
 a housing including a top surface having an aperture;   a shaft having an end extending through the top surface;   an actuator to rotate above the top surface;   a nut and a bushing to couple an end of the actuator to the end of the shaft;   a compacting chamber within the housing, the compacting chamber in communication with the aperture;   a compacting member disposed in the compacting chamber and coupled with the actuator, the compacting member to translate according to movement of the actuator;   a hollow nipple configured on the housing proximate the aperture, the hollow nipple in communication with the compacting chamber;   a faceted knob having a plurality of facets defined thereon, an axis of the knob substantially coinciding with the shaft; and   a semi-circular riser integrally formed with the knob, the semi-circular riser configured to circularly extend around and partially enclose the nut, the bushing, the end of the shaft and the end of the actuator, the semi-circular riser including an opening through which the actuator protrudes and can rotate.   
     
     
         12 . A method of making a cigarette with an injector-type cigarette-making machine including a housing including a top surface having an aperture, an actuator to rotate about a pivot axis above the top surface, a compacting chamber within the housing, the compacting chamber in communication with the aperture, a compacting member disposed in the compacting chamber and coupled with the actuator, the compacting member to translate according to movement of the actuator, a hollow nipple configured on the housing proximate the aperture, the hollow nipple in communication with the compacting chamber, and a faceted handgrip extending from the housing and partially enclosing the pivot axis, the method comprising:
 preparing the machine to accept tobacco;   disposing the tobacco in the compacting chamber;   disposing a paper cigarette tube on the hollow nipple;   grasping the actuator with a first hand;   grasping the faceted handgrip with a second hand;   moving the actuator with the first hand; and   applying a counter-rotational force to the faceted handgrip with the second hand to prevent rotation of the machine while the actuator is moved.   
     
     
         13 . A method as defined in  claim 12 , further comprising rotating the second hand on the faceted handgrip to align at least one of a thumb or a finger with one of the facets. 
     
     
         14 . A method as defined in  claim 12 , further comprising:
 aligning a first end of a slot defined in a flange of the faceted handgrip with a head of a shaft extending from the top surface; and   rotating the faceted handgrip relative to the top surface to engage the shaft in an opposite end of the slot.   
     
     
         15 . A method as defined in  claim 14 , wherein the rotation of the faceted handgrip to engage the shaft in the opposite end of the slot is in a same direction as the counter-rotational force. 
     
     
         16 . A method as defined in  claim 12 , further comprising:
 rotating the faceted handgrip relative to the top surface to disengage a shaft extending from the top surface from a first end of a slot defined in a flange of the faceted handgrip; and   removing the faceted handgrip from the injector-type cigarette-making machine.